Sanitary napkin



Aug. 3l, 1965 c. G. JoA

SANITARY NAPKIN Filed Jan. 4, 1963 Nw wm ww INVENTOR.

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United Statesl Patent O 3,203,419 SANITARY NAPKIN Curt G. Joa, OceanRidge, Fla. (Box 1121, Boynton Beach, Fla.) Filed Jan. 4, 1963, Ser. No.249,367 2 Claims. (Cl. 128-290) This invention relates to an improvedsanitary napkin. An important feature of the sanitary napkin embodyingthe present invention is the combination of a non-woven relativelyfragile and soft outermost wrapper for the absorbent ller pad, withrelatively strong reinforcing strips, desirably one at each side of thefiller pad and between the ller pad and the soft non-woven outerwrapper. Because of its softness, it has been found desirable to use anonwoven fabric Wrapper, but this wrapper is insuiciently strong toresist stresses. The strips of reinforcing material desirably consist ofcommercially available gauze or non-woven fabric which is stronger thanthe non-woven fabric of the wrapper. These give ample strength to thesanitary napkin and the resultant product is of low-cost constructionand retains the desirable soft non-woven outermost wrapper.

An optional, but desirable, feature of the invention is a plastic stripbetween the outermost Wrapper and the side of the ller which is awayfrom the body when worn. The plastic strip functions as a moisturebarrier and supplements the reinforcing strip in adding strength to thenapkin. The plastic strip is desirably heat scalable. The reinforcingand plastic strips extend beyond the ends of the filler pad to compriseattaching tabs. The tabs are heat sealed adjacent the ends of the iillerpad to hold the fabric tucks snugly around the napkin pad and maintainthe shape of the napkin.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will appear fromthe following disclosure in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sanitary napkin ernbodying theinvention, the several plies of one of the attaching tabs beingseparated to show the assembly of the strip components thereof.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross section taken through a sanitary napkinembodying the invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the method by which a napkinembodying the invention is fabricated.

Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable thoseskilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodimentsherein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied inother specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in theclaims appended hereto.

The sanitary napkin comprises one or more layers of absorbent iller padmaterial surrounded by an outermost wrapper 11 of non-woven fabric whichis soft, but which lacks substantial strength. The edges of the wrapper11 are brought together along seam 12 along the medial center line ofthe side of the napkin worn away from the body, the seam being sealed bya bead or ribbon 13 of thermoplastic material. Sanitary napkins such ashereinbefore described are shown in my copending United States patentapplications Serial No. 95,767, filed February 2, 1961, and Serial No.184,105, led April 2, 1962.

In the preferred embodiment, the relatively fragile or weak non-wovenfabric wrapper 11 is reinforced by two strips 14, 15 of relativelystrong material. In the preferred embodiment, strips 14, 15 constitutecommercially available gauze. These are centered upon the medial centerline of the napkin and have a width equal to about one-half the width ofthe ller pads 10.

I also provide a strip 16 of thermoplastic material, sub- 3,203,419Patented Aug. 31, 1965 stantially the same width as gauze strip 15. Onlyone strip 16 is provided and this is disposed within the napkin to liebetween gauze strip 15 and filler pad 10. Strip 16 is thus disposed atthe side of the napkin away from the body when worn. It functions as amoisture barrier and further reinforces the napkin at its exposed side.

The various plies of the Wrapper 11, gauze strips 14, 15 and plasticstrip 16 extend beyond the ends of the filler pads 10 to constituteattaching tabs 17, 18 at both ends of the napkin. The several plies ofgauze and plastic in the attaching tabs 17, 18 provide ample pinningstrength. The excess material of the wrapper 11 is desirably tuckedclosely adjacent to the ends of the ller pad 10 and the tabs 17, 18 areheat sealed at 19, 20 adjacent the ends of the ller pad. If desired, theentire area of the end tabs may be heat sealed to bond the threads ofthe gauze strips 14, 15 to the intervening plastic strip 16 and to thewrapper material 11, thus to greatly increase the overall strength ofthe tabs.

The heat sealing aforesaid holds the ller pads 10 in position and alsomaintains the tucks of the fabric snugly around the pad in a neatappearing package.

Sanitary napkins embodying features of the invention can be readilyfabricated on conventional machinery. FIG. 4 illustrates a continuousfabrication operation in which the ller pads 10 are entubed within thewrapper 11, the gauze strips 14, 15 and the plastic strip 16 beingunwound from parent rolls concurrently with the advance of the fillerpads 10 are propelled by traveling belts 23, 24.

While the preferred construction incorporates two reinforcing strips 14,15, under some conditions I may omit the strip 14. This will leave gauzestrip 15 and the plastic strip 16 to reinforce the napkin. Both of thesestrips will be disposed on the side of the napkin away from the body andproximate the seam 12.

Edge wrap strips, as shown in my United States Patent 2,721,554, mayoptionally be incorporated in napkins embodying the present invention.

The heat seals 19, 20 may be formed by conventional apparatus, forexample the rollers 25, 26, which carry heat seal bars 27, 28.

The thermoplastic seal 13 is formed by the apparatus shown in mycopending application Serial No. 95,767 aforesaid and is indicated byreference character 29 in FIGURE 4.

As aforestated, the reinforcing strips 14, 15 may be made of non-wovenfabric of a heavier gauge than the soft fragile wrapper 11. Such anon-woven fabric is amply strong to reinforce the wrapper and in someinstances is preferred over gauze.

I claim:

1. A sanitary napkin comprising:

(a) a filler having opposed broad sides and opposed narrow sides,

(b) a relatively weak non-woven fabric wrapper about the filler,

(c) two strips of reinforcing material, one at each of the broad sidesof the filler and between the filler and said wrapper, said strips beingnarrower than the width of said broad sides,

(d) a strip of thermoplastic material substantially coextensive with andbetween one of said reinforcing strips and the side of the filler awayfrom the body when worn,

(e) said strips extending beyond the ends of the filler to a compriseattaching tabs,

(f) and heat seals in said tabs adjacent the ends of the fil er.

2. The sanitary napkin of claim 1 in which said wrapper has its sideedges seamed along the medial center line 3 4 of the napkin and athermoplastic seal between said edges, 2,578,664 12/ 51 Beery et al.128-290 said seam being at the side of the napkin away from the2,773,503 12/56 Brownlee et al 128-290 body when worn. 2,896,627 7/59Harwood 128-290 References Cited by the Examiner 5 1 FORIGNBIATENTSUNITED STATES PATENTS 648,141 2/50 reat ritaln. 1,980,958 11/34 Rohlng12g 290 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Exml'lle.

2,512,713 6/ 50 Cahill 12S-290 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner.

1. A SANITARY NAPKING COMPRISING: (A) A FILLER HAVING OPPOSED BROADSIDES AND OPPOSED NARROW SIDES, (B) A RELATIVELY WEAK NON-WOVEN FABRICWRAPPER ABOUT THE FILLER, (C) TWO STRIPS OF REINFORCING MATERIAL, ONE ATEACH OF THE BROAD SIDES OF THE FILLER AND BETWEEN THE FILLER AND SAIDWRAPPER, SAID STRIPS BEING NARROWER THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID BROAD SIDES,(D) A STRIP OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH ANDBETWEEN ONE OF SAID REINFORCING STRIPS AND THE SIDE OF THE FILLER AWAYFROM THE BODY WHEN WORN, (E) SAID STRIPS EXTENDING BEYOND THE ENDS OFTHE FILLER TO A COMPRISE ATTACHING TABS, (F) AND HEAT SEALS IN SAID TABSADJACETN THE ENDS OF THE FILLER.